"Hmmmmmm…" The Forager was staring intently at a specific mushroom. In fact, he had been staring at it for well around a minute and a half at this point. Squinting. Poking. Prodding. Poking with his knife. "Are you..?" More inspection before he sighed. "I am quite sure you're good… Buuut…" Another sigh. "But if I'm not certain, I will not take my chances. Rule one, after all."
Every mushroom hunter has their own set of rules, but rule one is always the same: Unless you're absolutely certain that a mushroom is edible, assume it's poisonous enough to kill you.
And as such, the Forager tossed the mushroom aside, looking around and frowned as he was surrounded by that same mushroom. "One day I will remember if you're the good one or the vomiting up my intestines one…"
But it was not just avoiding the dangerous mushrooms that could be a problem, as the Forager would soon encounter. And this issue, to him at least, was far, far, far, far worse than tossing away perfectly good mushrooms in the belief they were bad.
"What a big and juicy, if slightly aged, Penny Bun you are. Let me take good care of…" He stopped as he cut through the stock, feeling how it felt slightly hollow inside. "Greeeeaaaaaat…"
He looked at the bottom of the foot to see signs of a maggot feast. He cut halfway through the stock, still feeling the emptiness within and further signs of maggots. Another slice right at the base of the cap showed more.
He discarded the stock and cut the cap in two. Maggot tunnels everywhere. "Nooooooo…" he sobbed as he removed the pores from the underside of the cap and seeing that his efforts to salvage something from the mushroom was for naught, he tossed it aside.
"You were too beautiful for this world!" he said overly dramatic before looking around and sighed. "I really need to find someone to bounce off of." Beat. "Wait, am I getting lonely? Yay! Another problem to solve!"
It was pouring down as the floodgates from heaven stood open. Some would say that if one is to survive in the wilderness by what they find, then they should man up and brave the weather.
FOOLS I say! They will regret that attitude when they're bedridden for a week because they couldn't handle staying inside for a single day and caught the world's most terrifying cold!
And the Forager was not a fool. He sat in front of his fireplace and relaxed, the cackle of flames breaking the wood as he was reading a book.
And while he'd rather be out and about, a day to just take some time to yourself was always nice. And perhaps he could find some time for his other business.
And time for that other business it was, as while he didn't end up working on it, the next day was another trip to pour town. Groggily on this early morning as thunder rumbled amongst the clouds, the Forager stumbled outside his small terrasse, went onto his lawn and entered a smaller building on the other side of it. A small fire pit was lit to heat up the small room and the cauldron that stood atop it.
"When arceus gives you… a bad day…" He yawned as he pulled down some jars with pickled poisoned mushrooms and also turned on a smaller fire place where a pot was sitting. "Make bad apple juice…" He took the pot and placed it outside to be filled with water. "Or something…"
He took the mushrooms out of the pickle jars, carefully removed stock from the cap and dumped the caps into the cauldron.
After a short minute, the pot was brought back in and placed on the small stove-top fire whereupon the stocks and pickle juices were dumped. He stirred both mixtures, sighing as his gaze turned to a notebook. "So, then I have to… And then…" he mumbled to himself as he pulled out some herbs and added to the cauldron mixture. "At least I will get a decent portion once I'm done, so silver lining I guess?"
And unfortunately for our dear Forager, it would be the third day in a row with heavy rainfall. But this time, he wasn't going to stay at home. With a bunch of glass jars filled with various liquids stuffed in a giant satchel and draped in a big bright raincoat, he was heading into the center of town. For business, and for social interaction.
And he got the latter almost immediately as a lombre was enjoying the rainfall and noticed the ninetales. "Well, well, well. If it isn't mister lonely and forgettable."
"Guess I'm bad at being forgettable since you recognized me immediately." the Forager replied with a sigh as he sludged through the mud.
"Uh… Uhm…" The lombre blinked. "Got me there, I suppose."
The icetales shrugged as he continued. "So, how's things in town?"
"Quiet. Because… I mean," the grass type pointed to the sky. "Have you seen the weather?"
"I haven't. I keep getting water in my eyes, so I can't see anything." the Forager replied followed by a light chuckle.
The lombre chuckled along. "Get a better raincoat. Mister Leavanny has improved his craft to a master level. Give him five minutes, and you can wander all day in the rain."
"Eeeeeh…" The Forager frowned. "Even the perfect raincoat can't shield me from a terrible cold forever."
"You're an ice type." the kappa pointed out.
"And a fairy type, so I'm weak to poison such as illnesses."
The lombre placed a hand under his chin and scratched it. "Never thought of it like that. Would that mean that steel types are immune to diseases?"
The ninetales did the best shrug a quadruped could make. "If you find out, please do tell." His eyes locked with his destination. "Now, I have a bit of business to do."
The lombre looked in the same direction. "Selling medicine to the doctor? Sounds like it should be the other way around."
"Potions." the fox corrected.
"They help you when you feel shitty, it's medicine!" the kappa barked.
And the ninetales laughed. "Better not have Doc hear that. He will not take it well." And the laugh was followed by a shiver. "Trust me. I know."
And lombre paled. "Uh… If… If that's how he reacts, then yes. Potions are not medicine. Yes. Definitely. Aha." A good handful nods as the two stopped in front of the clinic.
"You joining in?" the Forager asked as he pushed the door open.
The lombre shook his head. "When you catch me with a cold, maybe." He glanced at the only lively building in the town. "But you should stop by the pub. Basically all of the town is there. Have a drink. Listen to some stories. Some funny rumors going around."
The ninetales stood halfway through the door, looking at the lombre. "Rumors?"
And the lombre smirked. "If you want to know, ask in the pub." And with a raised arm, he waddled off towards the establishment. "Hope to see you, tails."
"Maybe!" the Forager replied before heading into the clinic.
Mushroom notes.
As the opening says, DO NOT EAT MUSHROOMS YOU DON'T KNOW! Many mushrooms are dangerous that can and very much will kill you! That mushroom from Mario? Based on something like a Fly Agarius that will become a one way trip to the hospital. Have I put enough emphasis on how dangerous mushrooms can be?
And don't get me started on maggots. A good way to get sad from an otherwise perfectly good mushroom.
AN: Don't worry. Things will happen soon.
